All Play & A Little Work Too

The rising sun shined through the New York City skyline as my early morning flight began to land. At the beginning of this week, I traveled to the Big Apple for work. I knew the trip was going to be busy, even before I boarded the plane. So, as I pressed my face against the porthole window to catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty, I promised myself to build in a little fun time.

For those that don’t know, I signed on to be the Online Marketing Manager for a wholesale company that sells products to independent retailers a few months ago. My primary responsibility is developing and implementing national-level campaigns to drive sales to the company website. Recently, marketing research and social media marketing was added to my job description. My trip was going to be jam packed with meetings, focus groups, and a social media panel discussion. Here are a few highlights to share.

Social Media Panel Discussion: I had the honor of being invited by Jenny Heinzen York (@jennyheinzen), editor in chief of Home Accents Today, to be the fourth member of a social media panel discussion for retailers. It was great to see about 100 people attended to hear us share our online experiences and best practices. Of course, it should be no surprise I made sure to seize the opportunity to plug this site to the group. My most priceless moment was when two different independent gourmet food store owners came up to thank me for sharing experiences that related to food. It made me smile to know a least a few people learned something from me.

I “met” Ina: This particular trade show sees its fair share of celebrities because it’s a great way for them to research the trendiest products to potentially endorse. While waiting in line at the convention center food court, I turned around to assess the busy seating area. Who did I see standing right behind me? My idol Ina Garten! Yes, INA GARTEN. I couldn’t believe it. I wanted so bad to give her a big hug and tell her how much I enjoy her show. But I restrained myself, figuring she probably didn’t want to be bombarded while trying to grab lunch like the rest of us. Hug, or not. It will be a happy memory.

Fig & Olive: A perk of my job is the opportunity to eat at wonderful restaurants for client dinners. My favorite dinner, this trip, was at Fig & Olive in the Meat Packing District. The minute I walked into the rustic and expansive space, I was greeted with big rosemary bushes and the fruity scent of olive oil. Don’t you hate it when no one at the table wants to make the decision? This was when my food knowledge came in handy as we dove into flavorful crostini’s, roasted artichokes and rosemary lamb skewers…to name a few.

Food Network Studios: There was no way I was going to let the business trip pass by without breaking away to visit the Food Network Studios. Located in the Meat Packing District, the studios are located in a huge old warehouse building with a gigantic plaza of gourmet food stores on the first floor. I was in culinary heaven as my colleague, Majda, and I sashayed between all the stores. We gabbed about life and exchanged our passion for great flavors over lunch. Sadly, the studios are located on the 6^th floor and do not offer tours. It would have been over-the-top if I had a chance to tour the kitchens. But, the adventure with Majda was still well worth it.

As expected, I returned home exhausted and invigorated at the same time. Business travel can be hard at times when the schedule is full. But, taking little breaks to stop and taste the flavor keeps it interesting and memorable.

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